1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly, to a receptacle connector with detection contact which is adapted to be compatible with the receptacle connector without requiring modification of construction of an insulator. In other words, it is not necessary to change the shape of the insulator for installing the detection contact into the receptacle connector. The detection contact is located and fitted outside a shell of the receptacle connector to enable signal transmission or power supply when a plug connector is inserted into the receptacle connector, or to achieve other detection purposes, such as hot plug detection, accessory identification.
2. Description of Related Art
A universal serial bus (USB) receptacle connector is generally mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) of electronic devices such as desktop or laptop computers. The universal serial bus (USB) receptacle connector further comprises power contacts which are utilized to provide the power to external accessory devices. When operating in a power saving mode, the motherboard disconnects the power supply to most accessory devices or interface cards, including disconnecting the power supply to USB receptacle connectors. Power saving modes are reduced power modes that use less power than full power modes. In power saving mode, most device functions are not available.
However, some users expect that the motherboard still is able to enable signal transmission, power supply or other detection functions between USB receptacle connectors and USB plug connectors when the motherboard enters the saving mode and a plug connector is inserted into the receptacle connector.
Taiwan patent application No. 100205057 discloses a USB receptacle connector having an insulator, multiple first contacts, multiple second contacts and a shell. A ground contact of the first contacts has a detection arm protruding from a central portion of the ground contact of the first contacts. The central portion of the ground contact has a hole which is configured to receive the detection arm because of the detection arm's protruding nature when a connector insert of a male plug connector is inserted into the receptacle connector to form connection. The detection arm extends along a protruding direction of a tongue of the insulator and has a contact portion departing from a base of the insulator. There is a slot in central top surface of the protruding tongue, which is configured to receive the detection arm, and the detection arm is exposed through the hole. When a connector insert of a male plug connector is inserted into the receptacle connector to form connection, the detection arm contacts and presses against a shell of the plug connector, and a resilient tab of the shell of the plug connector also contacts the shell of the receptacle connector. Therefore, after the insertion of the plug connector, the detection arm substantially contacts the shell of the receptacle connector electrically and thus establishes an electrical connection between the shell of the receptacle connector and the detection arm. Furthermore, through pins of the shell of the receptacle connector, it also can establishes an electrical connection between the motherboard and the detection arm. However, forming a thinner detection arm on the thin and elongated ground contact of the first contacts requires precise processes so that manufacturing such detection arm is difficult and production rate thereof is low. Furthermore, the insulator needs to be customized to have the receiving slot.
Taiwan patent application No. 100216268 discloses a receptacle connector having an insulator, multiple conductive contacts, a detection contact, and a conductive shell. The insulator has an installation slot. The detection contact is mounted in the installation slot. The conductive shell has a detection resilient tab formed thereon and corresponding to the detection contact. When a plug connector is inserted into the receptacle connector, the detection contact contacts the detection resilient tab so that the receptacle connector detects and supplies power to the plug connector. The insulator needs to be customized to form the installation slot for receiving the detection contact.
Taiwan patent application No. 101209329 discloses a receptacle connector having an insulator, multiple conductive contacts, a detection contact, and a shell. The insulator has a mounting slot defined therein. One of the conductive contacts is a ground contact. The detection contact is mounted in the mounting slot and selectively contacts or separates from the ground contact for detection whether an external plug connector is inserted into the receptacle connector. However, the insulator still needs to be customized to have the mounting slot for receiving the detection contact.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a receptacle connector with detection function to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.